


In this Moment

by solar02



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: #newbeginnings #frozen2 #ice #honeymarenlowkeyhaspowers #feelgood, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:35:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21589228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solar02/pseuds/solar02
Summary: Now that Elsa has given up her title as queen of Arendelle to her sister, Anna, a whole new life is suddenly placed in front of her. Surrounded by the enchanted forest, Elsa now has the freedom to explore and utilize her powers to its fullest. This also means she has the chance to start from the very beginning accompanied with a couple of mistakes. When a sudden disaster shakes the Northuldra tribe it is up to Elsa to search for answers. Luckily the mysterious Honeymaren is there to help....
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 38
Kudos: 222





	1. In this Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa is still adjusting to her new surroundings. Honeymaren has a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello after a billion years! 
> 
> Guess who saw Frozen 2 yesterday? Me.  
> I left the movie theater feeling very satisfied and completely blown away by the animation quality. And of course, the new characters. While Honeymaren has a VERY small role (like seriously; blink and you'll miss it), I thought that she was very kind towards Elsa and I envision they would become friends after the movie.  
> So I guess that's what this is. The after story of Frozen 2.  
> I'm going to work really hard to actually complete this story, but will probably keep it short (no longer than 6-ish chapters) so yeah. 
> 
> Thank you guys for reading :) 
> 
> \- Solar02

A warm morning breeze trickled through the tops of trees, lighting the earth and ground. Elsa sat atop a stone out looking just one of the many brilliant sights of the enchanted forest. She let out a small sigh. 

_ Somewhere,  _ she thought,  _ Anna is out there. I wonder if she is ok.  _

Just the thought of her sister in distress made her laugh. Of course Anna was ok. Her sister was not a child anymore; she was queen of Arendelle. 

“And, there’s Kristoff,” a voice called from behind her, making Elsa jump. She turned around to see Honeymaren smiling warmly at her. “Thinking about Anna again?”

Elsa shook her head and chuckled. “No. I’m just relishing in the moment.” She turned back to face the magnificent valley and sighed. “Ok. Maybe just a little.”

Honeymaren laughed and sat beside her. “Look, I get it. If something happened to Ryder I’d...never forgive myself. Sometimes I wonder if we would have grown up under different circumstances ...”

Elsa waited for Honeymaren to finish her sentence, but the brunette stayed silent. She supposed she should join her. So much had happened to both of them in the past couple of weeks. 

Elsa discovered that her grandfather deceived the Northuldran people so many years ago, creating a dam that was only ever meant to hurt them. Anna had so courageously summoned the earth spirits into destroying the dam. And so the Northuldran people, including Honeymaren, finally were able to escape the eternal fog that had settled across the enchanted forest for all of those years. While Elsa was overwhelmed, she had trouble imagining what it must be like for all of the Northuldran people. They had what she’d always wanted all of her life; freedom. 

“How are you adjusting  _ queen  _ Elsa?” Honeymaren asked suddenly with a hint of humor in her voice. Elsa rolled her eyes. 

“ _ Former  _ queen,” she chuckled. She stared at her hands, where she could feel her magic pulsing through her. Ever since she became the fifth spirit it was like her power increased tenfold. Some days it scared her but at the same time was invigorating. She turned to her friend. “It’s weird. I’m so used to not being able to use my powers so to just suddenly be able to do whatever I want with them...I guess I’m not used to this freedom.” 

Honeymaren cocked her head to one side. “How did you suppress your powers then for all of those years?”

Elsa shuddered at the memory of her coronation. The gloves. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I was so focused on staying in the lines, remaining perfect. It was engraved in my conscious that I couldn’t, no matter what circumstances, let the people of Arendelle know I had powers.” She pointed to her hands. “I wore these gloves. They helped when I was a child, but as I grew older my powers became stronger. Despite my best efforts, I could no longer control them.” 

Elsa turned to Honeymaren, whose eyes were as wide as saucers. 

“I don’t want to hark on the past though,” Elsa said firmly. “Especially when there’s so much to learn about you, and the Northuldran people. I want to learn and embrace every moment. There’s no more hiding.”

“No more hiding,” Honeymaren agreed. The brunette stood up and extended her hand towards Elsa. “I have an idea.”

Just like that, Honeymaren took off with Elsa trailing behind her. The trees of the enchanted forest blurred together as they through the maze of trees and branches. The old Elsa would have resisted, insisting that this sort of play was nonsensical and silly. But now, with the wind flowing through her free hair, she realized that there was no other place she would rather be. 

She felt Honeymaren’s pace began to slow as the two reached what seemed to be a small cavern.

“Where are we going?” Elsa asked skeptically as she stared at the wide mouth of the cavern. “We’re not going i-”

“Shh!” a finger pressed against her lips. Honeymaren’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “There’s a place I want to show you! But uh, could you do your,” she waved her hands in the air, clearly imitating Elsa. 

The blonde smirked at her ridiculous gestures. “You want me to use magic.” Honeymaren bobbed her head up and down excitedly. “Should I be concerned?”

“Hardly,” the brunette replied mischievously. “Now hurry up and make us something like a sled.”

Elsa was hesitant at first.  _ Something as simple as a sled _ , she thought to herself, concentrating.  _ Ok powers. Don’t do anything weird.  _ “Stand back,” she warned as she began to weave her hands in an intricate motion. Every inch of her hands were tingling with excitement, like pandora’s box, just waiting to be released. She pictured a wooden sled forming from her fingertips, concentrating on each little detail as she weaved the image in her mind. She opened her eyes, to see Honeymaren marveling at her creating. 

“Damn…” her friend breathed. “This is incredible…. Or should I say…. insledable!”

Elsa chuckled and shook her head as she mounted the sled. “Ok,” she said as she got herself situated. “You know where we’re going?”

Honeymaren rolled her eyes. “Elsa. I’ve been living in the enchanted forest for as long as I can remember. I know this place like the back of my hand. Now hold on!”

With a shove, the two girls were suddenly plunging down into darkness once again at breakneck speed. Elsa felt herself firmly planting her arms around the brunette, who whooped as the sled picked up pace. She kept her eyes shut tightly until at last, she felt the sled begin to slow. 

“We’re here,” Honeymaren said as she climbed off of the sled. Elsa opened her eyes and gasped at the breathtaking view. In front of them, a small body of water lay surrounded by a canopy of willow trees and flowers. When Elsa looked up, a large ray of light shone down on the area making everything seem to sparkle under its glow. She climbed out of the sled and ran her fingers against the side of the cavern only to discover it was covered in tiny crystals. The place was beyond anything she could have imagined. It was magical. 

That was when Elsa realized it  _ was  _ magical. She could practically feel power humming from every direction in the cavern. It was welcoming her. 

“Honeymaren I ...what is this place?” 

“Home,” she replied. The brunette rolled up her sleeves and took off her shoes, dancing in the sunlight. “Me and Ryder discovered this place when we were just kids. I remember us being awestruck at its beauty - which was nowhere as enchanting as it is now.” She pointed to the sun. “The sun, the light, it’s glorious. I never knew this place was filled with so many crystals.”

A pit of guilt sunk into Elsa’s stomach, which Honeymaren must have sensed because she immediately stopped chattering. Elsa felt her friend put her arm around her. 

“I’m sorry. It’s not your fault that this forest was put under an eternal fog.” 

“I know. I just can’t stop remembering what I saw that day,” Elsa murmured, recalling her trip to  Ahtohallan. Images of her grandfather about to strike the Northuldran leader flashed before her eyes. 

“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to,” Honeymaren said with concern. “But know that I’ll always be here to listen. So will Anna, Kristoff, Olaf…. Everyone is here for you Elsa.”

Elsa turned to her friend and smiled warmly. Here she was, the former queen of the place Honeymaren was told to hate, being welcomed with open arms. It was beautiful. 

“Want to see something cool?” Honeymaren spoke suddenly taking her from her trance. Without waiting for a response, she leaped forward and extended her hands out in front of her. A spring breeze suddenly whisked past Elsa, who gaped at how suddenly fallen petals swarmed around Honeymaren. It was Gale. The wind spirit. 

“How did you-”

“Years of practice,” Honeymaren replied. “Growing up here, I didn’t really have many friends or people to talk to. So I’d come here. My brother and I would have so much fun playing around that one day, Gale decided to show up and play with us. I guess after all those years it decided to stick with me,” she grinned. “So in a way...I’m magical too?” 

Elsa laughed. “You’re not even close.”

“Try me.”

The two girls began conjuring up whatever came to mind. A castle made of ice, a boat made of flowers. It was as if the outside didn’t exist, the past didn’t exist. For that moment, Elsa was just a carefree girl spending time with a friend, nothing more, nothing less. 

_ Yes, _ she thought.  _ I want to forever savor this moment.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again,
> 
> Thanks for reading to the bottom! I guess this first chapter was just a feel good sort of chapter. Nothing much happened I know, but I think it is important for the two to start small and not rush into things immediately. Also in case it wasn't made clear in the fic, it is now spring (so roughly like, 4 months after the movie ends) in the enchanted forest which is why Gale now picks up flowers and not leaves.  
> Anyways yes, I am planning on making Elsa and Honeymaren "morethanfriends" but as mentioned before they are definitely not ready to jump into that yet. It probably won't happen until somewhere later on in the story (just a warning). 
> 
> So that concludes the first chapter! Thank you to everyone who read down this far, please leave comments/suggestions as feedback is much welcomed. If any of y'all have a certain 'direction' you think this story should go in please feel free to share, I'm open to ideas!
> 
> See you soon,
> 
> \- Solar02


	2. In this Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation between Elsa, Honeymaren, and Ryder strikes up that does not end well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, 
> 
> So.... two chapters in one day? I think yes :)  
> This chapter should make the storyline a bit more clear. I couldn't wait to share it with you guys, so enjoy reading!
> 
> See you soon, 
> 
> \- Solar02

Despite the seasons changing from early to late spring Elsa still managed to shiver from beneath her warm blankets. She could hear joyful clamor from just outside of her tent. Despite Anna offering the Northuldran people more modern living standards, Yelena, the current leader, kindly declined. Elsa remembered the woman mentioning something about tradition and the value of nature. And she agreed. Well, for the most part. Assimilating from her position as high queen of Arendelle to a member of the Northuldran tribe certainly had its challenges at times. 

Sitting up, Elsa automatically reached for her brush. While Yelena had insisted on continuing the tradition of residing in tents she had taken up Anna’s offer on a few upgrades. For one, it was far more spacious than before. The tent had a bed, a bed stand, a mirror, and even a makeshift sink. It may not have been what Elsa was used to in the palace, but slowly, the simple ways of the Northuldran people began to settle with her. On her desk lay a piece of parchment and quill ink pen. Her latest letter to Anna remained incomplete on her desk. Beneath it were stacks of her sister’s letters which came twice a week like clockwork. A small smile formed on Elsa’s lips as she spotted the letter with one of Sven’s footprints stamped on it. How she missed her sister…

“Elsa?” came a polite voice from outside. She immediately recognized its owner as Honeymaren. “You awake?”

“Yes just a second,” she replied, quickly giving herself one last check in the mirror. Once she was satisfied, she quickly thought of what her outfit would be that day. Something to keep her warm from the chilly spring mornings, but also something that she could shed eventually if she became too hot later on in the day. After a moments thought she settled on a simple coorde consisting of a light sweater, skirt, and low rise boots. 

_ Perfect  _ she thought with satisfaction. “I’m coming!” Elsa stepped out of the tent and was greeted by a warm smile. 

“Wow,” Honeymaren mused as she stared at her. “Must be nice to not have an endless amount of outfits at your fingertips.”

Elsa smirked. “You can too,” she reasoned. “Just have to ask.”

“I’m ok,” Honeymaren twirled around displaying her outfit. It consisted of a light brown shirt tucked into equally brown pants, accompanied with worn black boots. “I think my sense of fashion is impeccable as it is.” 

Elsa shook her head and chuckled at the carefreeness of her friend’s words. There was something about Honeymaren she couldn’t quite put a word on. For starters, she was not like anyone Elsa had ever met. Her whole life in Arendelle was being afraid of who she really was. Once her parents left, all she ever had was Anna. In a way, that made Honeymaren the complete opposite of herself. Honeymaren was bold, enthusiastic, and beyond exciting. Nothing seemed phase her, and when something went wrong, she would laugh it off as if nothing had happened at all. The truth was some days, Elsa wondered why Honeymaren had taken such a liking to her. Elsa was reserved, serious, and somewhat shy. One day she and her friends just happened to wander into the enchanted forest and the next, Honeymaren was her best friend. 

_ Life is strange, _ she thought silently as she looked around the camp.  _ Strange but beautiful.  _

With the expansion of the Northuldran tribes’ homes came the expansion of inhabited land. In addition to the upgraded tents, Anna had gifted the tribe a brand new shelter for all of the reindeer. Needless to say, Honeymaren’s brother, Ryder, had been thrilled. The sun shone through the tops of the trees, warming the cold Elsa had felt earlier. Children adorned with flower crowns and bracelets scampered around the lush grass accompanied by Gale the wind spirit. 

“Are you alright?” Honeymaren asked after Elsa realized she had been staring off into space again. She put a hand on the brunette’s shoulder. 

“I’m fine,” she murmured. “I still can’t believe this is all real.” 

Her friend gave her a small smile, with a hint of something else in her eyes.

“Elsa! Mare!” a voice called from behind them. 

_ ….Mare?  _

“Morning,” Honeymaren turned her attention away from Elsa who looked up to see her brother bounding excitedly towards them. “What are you doing up this early?” 

“Oh you know...just building something epic,” he replied proudly and pointed towards the reindeer pen. 

“What is it?” Elsa asked. 

Honeymaren rolled her eyes. “If it’s another one of your toys-”

“It’s not that!” he insisted. “Come on guys, I’ll show you.” 

Elsa and and Honeymaren exchanged glances before shrugging it off and following him. The journey to the reindeer pens was slightly away from camp, beyond a small river which Ryder had so tactfully made a bridge for. Elsa could tell his excitement was building by the minute. As they crossed the bridge Ryder instructed for the two to close their eyes, which they obliged. 

“Ok...three...two...one...open!”

Elsa blinked at the sight before her; it was a reindeer sled, similar to the one Kristoff always drove. Well of course, with a couple of special features. The hood of the sled was ingraved with the four elements, with a fifth one in the dead center. Each detail was so intricate and clearly done with love. Elsa moved forward, running her hand along the great craftsmanship and chuckled when she discovered a little carving of Kristoff and Sven. 

“This is amazing brother,” Honeymaren breathed. “I didn’t know you were capable of this sort of stuff.”

“Yeah well it wasn’t too hard actually. I had Gale send a letter to Kristoff asking for some tips. I think it turned out pretty well myself.” There was a pause and suddenly Elsa realized she was the only person who hadn’t said anything. 

“I-it’s beautiful,” she said quickly. “I love all of the personal additions, like the five elements and Kristoff and Sven. It’s truly a work of art Ryder.” Elsa took her eyes off the sled for a minute to see Ryder looking sheepish. He, much like Honeymaren, was always boisterous and confident, always had something to say. But today he looked different, almost embarrassed. Elsa was so used to being hyper aware of her own emotions that she could read others like an open book. With the exception of Honeymaren, of course. After quick scrutinization she decided he was most definitely not himself. 

“I’m glad you like it,” he replied, not looking at her and instead staring at the small pebbles that littered the floor. “You should know that... I made it for you Elsa.” Elsa swallowed hard. “Look, I know I finished it right after winter ended but if you want to take a ride in it sometimes that would be, uh...pretty cool.”

Elsa stood there frozen in her tracks. Of course she could always make snow enough for them to take a ride in the sled. It was not the gesture that left her without words, but rather, the exchange itself. The way that Ryder was turned to her and not Honeymaren suggested that this invitation was exclusively meant for her.

“Oh brother puh-LEASE,” Honeymaren chimed in with satire dripping from her voice. “If you’re going to flirt and propose a date at least  _ try  _ to act natural. _ ”  _

_ Oh.  _

The words “flirt” and “date” made Elsa’s cheeks flush now. Back in Arendelle it was Anna who was the hopeless romantic. Her sister had always been the one to jump head on and heart first into her relationships. Her open heart and bubbly personality made her an instant catch to the men in her life. First Prince Hans who turned out to be an utter nightmare, and then her husband, Kristoff. Elsa on the other hand had never allowed room for love in her heard. Thinking back, she realized that she had been so caught up with accepting and figuring out herself that she had never really considered romance as a possibility at all. 

“What do you mean by natural?” Ryder questioned in defense only to receive another exasperated sigh. 

“What I  _ mean  _ is like this. Watch and learn.” Elsa felt her heartbeat quicken as she realized Honeymaren had no intention of performing this...act on her brother. Rather, her friend was sauntering up to her!

“Heya,” Honeymaren smiled as warm as ever. “You’re new around here right? If you’d like I can show you around in my uh-” she paused to find the right word. “...reindeer sled?” 

The last bit made Ryder doubled over in laughter. “Oh so I’m the one who needs to act natural now am I? That was way worse than mine!”

Honeymaren turned around and crossed her arms. “Ok I’ll admit the reindeer sled was kind of rough but other than that totally natural! What do you think Elsa? Uh, Elsa?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading and hopefully this opens up for a bit more of the story to develop! As you can see, we've got a little one-sided love going on. Poor Ryder is just trying to impress the new girl :(  
> Was Honeymaren actually flirting or just playing? And how will Elsa react?
> 
> We'll see...... ;) 
> 
> \- Solar02  
> *Please leave comments/suggestions/feedback it really helps me to continue writing!


	3. In this Disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa returns to the Northuldran site to discover something is wrong with Yelena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Since it is Thanksgiving break I have some time to dedicate to writing so I thought I’d post this sooner than later! There are some plot twists here so prepare yourselves :)
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> \- Solar02

Elsa could not remember a time where she fled the scene so quickly on the basis of feeling like an outsider. But wait. She could. Like the time she escaped her coronation three years ago. But that was beside the point. 

She wrapped her arms around herself as she headed back towards the Northuldran campsite. Anger and confusion filled her head as she continued to walk aimlessly past trees and shrubs. When Elsa first made her decision to stay and live in the Enchanted Forest with the Northuldran tribe, she was eager to start a new page and chapter of her life. She was ready to learn. But after the strange encounter between herself, Honeymaren, and Ryder, she realized how in over her head she was. 

This talk of flirting and openness about love was something she was not used to. She was not sure if she was ready to face it either. In fact, love had never even entered her stream of thinking. She had always been too busy to even consider seeking the term. 

_ You’re overthinking this. Surely all that had happened was a mere joke, at my expense!  _

A sudden stone found its way under her foot and Elsa almost toppled over into a nearby shrub. After regaining she looked up and realized that amidst her self talk session she had not paid any attention to where she was going. Her eyes darted back and forth looking for any familiarity in the woods, but to her dismay, she recognized nothing. 

Suddenly, she heard a noise that made her hair stand on end. It was painfully loud and full of agony, not like anything she had ever heard before. The wailing stopped accompanied by a second cry, this time full of sadness and anguish. Elsa’s heartbeat quickened as she realized where it was coming from. She turned around and faced towards where the sound was coming from. From the north, beyond the gorge of Earth spirits. It was coming from the Northuldran camp. 

“No,” Elsa breathed. Something terribly wrong was going on. She closed her eyes in concentration.  _ Think!  _ “Gale!” she shouted into the openness of the moor. A moment passed. “Gale? Gale where are you? I need you to take me back to the Northuldran camp!” 

Seconds seemed like days as Elsa stood there, alone, and panicked. She could feel her powers pulsing beneath her skin but she resisted. There was no point in using them if she did not know where she was going. A sudden breeze flooded the empty space, picking up wild grass, sticks, and flowers with it. 

“You came,” she breathed a sigh of relief. The wind spirit formed a hand made of debris as if to wave hello. “Thank you. I need you to take me to the Northuldran camp. Something has happened and I can’t find it by myself.”

That was all Elsa had to say. Suddenly, she felt something slip beneath her feet as if a rug was separating her and the earth below. She sucked in her last bit of air and felt a sudden surge of magic throw her forward at breakneck speed. With her arm, Elsa shielded her face from the debris Gale picked up as they soared past trees, rivers, and cliffs. The pace of the spirit slowed as Elsa began to recognize the familiarity of the brush surrounding camp. As they reached the entrance, Gale finally came to a stop and let Elsa’s foot gently make contact with the ground again. 

“Thank you,” she whispered gratefully. The wind spirit once again formed a hand with fallen debris and waved goodbye. A split second later, it was gone. 

Even outside the camp, Elsa could sense something was different. The usual cheerful clamor of the people and children was replaced with a deathly silence. Carefully she pushed aside the branches that protected the camp from intruders and slipped in. Her eyes widened with horror. In the center of the camp gathered all of the people, children, and elders. They were all crowdered over a bed in the center of the camp with worry painted over their faces. As Elsa made her way towards the center she immediately saw Honeymaren and Ryder at Yelena’s side. 

Honeymaren looked up and met her eyes. “Elsa!” her friend exclaimed. She stood up and gave her a squeeze making Elsa jump. “Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick about you!”

“I’m fine. I’m sorry I wandered off I guess I was just… what is going on here?” Elsa turned her gaze to Yelena. The woman’s firey and noble demeanor had been replaced. Elsa was suddenly aware of the rows of wrinkles that covered the tribe leader’s face, and the greying of her hair. The tribe leader was laying in bed with a sickly expression on her face. “Yelena,” Elsa quickly rushed to the old women. 

“We think she’s caught something,” Ryder confirmed behind her. He knelt down to where the three were eye level. “And from the looks of it, she needs serious help.”

Yelena suddenly coughed with her eyes fluttering open. 

“What can I do?” Elsa asked helplessly. She reached for the old woman’s hand taking it in hers. 

Yelena’s mouth moved but did not make a sound. Her lips parted briefly to make the shape of a word Elsa could not identify. “Q….” she began. The entire tribe waited for her to finish her sentence. “Q-quicksilver….I need ...now…..”

Elsa closed her eyes. Quicksilver. What on earth was that? Suddenly a firm hand was pressing down on her shoulder. Ryder stood up, his voice full of fear and determination. 

“You heard her,” he said shakily. “She needs quicksilver.”

The crowd suddenly broke into chaos. Words of concern and anguish filled the camp, deafening and loud. Some began to cry while others frantically asked questions.  _ What is quicksilver? Our medicine books do not contain any information on this. How long do we have, where will we find it? _

“Silence!” Ryder demanded and immediately a hush fell over the crowd. “Everyone needs to remain calm. We will find whatever this is, bring it back, and revive Yelena. For now everyone needs to stay calm - panicking won’t solve anything.” Suddenly Elsa felt everyone’s eyes on her and realized Ryder was now sizing her up. “Elsa,” he began slowly. “Would Queen Anna know anything about where to find this or what quicksilver is?” 

Elsa swallowed and turned to face the crowd. Her hands were shaking. “I-I don’t,” she mustered. “Back in Arendelle we used different types of medicine but never this. I’m not sure if Arendelle has the kind of medicine that Yelena needs but perhaps could have developed it under a different name…..”

“That’s it then!” Ryder’s voice boomed. “Elsa….! Thank you!” He walked over to her and reached for her hand. “I’ve made the decision. I will leave for Arendelle this very minute in search of this quicksilver. I won’t return until I have it safely in my posession.”

A burst of cheers and whoops arose from the crowd as Elsa stood there uncomfortably. It was true that in Arendelle there were more advanced apothecaries. However the nature of this ‘illness’ filled her with suspicion. Just yesterday Elsa had seen Yelena acting normal as if nothing was wrong. While she did not have much experience with diagnosing illness something about the entire situation felt off. 

_ Magic _ a voice in her head rang. It was so strong Elsa almost fell over.  _ Magic  _ the voice repeated. This time it was stronger and clearer. A lump formed in her throat. That was why none of the members or people in Arendelle had heard of quicksilver. Whatever it was that Yelena had...it was not an ordinary bout of sickness. 

Honeymaren stood up and walked towards the center of the crowd. “Hold up,” she said with her gaze sweeping the crowd. “Brother, you cannot possibly be serious about leaving the tribe here.”

“Mare do you hear yourself? What do you think is going on here?”

“What I’m saying is that we should not be quick to jump into this yet.” Honeymare gently enclosed Yelena’s hand in hers, and placed her head on the woman’s chest to check for breathing. The leader had fallen into a deep sleep. “We do not know what quicksilver is yet. We do not even know if it  _ exists _ . Blindly chasing after something we know nothing about is risky and dangerous.” Honeymaren stood up again, eye level with her brother. 

“What are you suggesting we do then?” he said challengingly. “What is your great idea then sister?” 

Honeymaren swallowed and Elsa could visibly see the wheels of her friend’s brain turning. “I suggest… someone must go to Ahtohallan.”

Elsa stopped breathing. So did the rest of the tribe. A collective silence filled the moor, much so that one could hear a pin drop. Slowly Ryder collected himself with scrutiny filling his gaze.

“Ahtohallan...the place that no one except for Elsa has ever made it to?” he spoke slowly as if pondering every single word. Honeymaren nodded soundlessly. “That is the most ridiculous idea that has come out of your mouth.”

The brunette crossed her arms in defense, her eyes clouded with determination. “Water has memories,” she said so softly Elsa had to strain her ears. “Water is all knowing. I believe that it can help us track down whatever quicksilver is.”

“Nonsense,” Ryder argued. “Risking lives to track down such a treacherous place is not going to happen. I will not allow us to lose anyone else.”

“I know, brother,” Honeymaren said warmly. “You care for everyone. I understand that.” She turned to the crowd. “Which is why I volunteer myself to travel to Ahtohallan. Alone.”

“No!” 

The crowd turned to Elsa. Her heartbeat quickened. “You can’t go alone,” she said shakily. “It’s too dangerous...I barely made it out alive. And you’re just a human ...” Honeymaren raised an eyebrow. 

“Elsa,” she replied kindly. She stood up and walked over to her closely so that no one else could hear. “Do not worry. I’m not afraid.” 

Elsa wrapped her arms around her friend. The familiar scent of cedar filled her nose. Despite Honeymaren’s brave words, she could practically feel the sporadic beating of her heart. “I am.”

The silence that had fallen over the crowd was disrupted once more. 

“I won’t allow it,” Ryder sighed. “Honeymaren, I admire your courage. But you must stay here and look after the people. It’s a man’s job to protect the tribe. I won’t let you down.” The crowd parted as he turned and began walking away towards the reindeer shed. 

_ I have to do something  _ Elsa thought. As her mind began to race she could feel her powers awaken inside her. Before she could think an icy blast shot up into the sky making everyone gasp. She looked up and realized there was a dome made of ice surrounding the camp. 

Ryder glared up at the sky now covered with ice. “What the hell is this?” 

Elsa clamped her hands over her mouth in horror. She’d done it now. Everyone was looking at her. 

“Come on!” 

Suddenly a hand clamped around hers, strong and sure. Honeymaren had taken everyone’s moment of shock as an opportunity. Elsa’s hand was locked in with hers, and before she realized Honeymaren was headed straight towards the border. With a hefty shove Elsa was pushed forward. While the contact of the icy dome and skin should have hurt like crazy, Elsa realized she hadn’t felt anything at all. Honeymaren, who was holding her hand in a vice grip, clearly hadn’t either. 

“Woah,” the brunette breathed. “That was ...awesome.”

Honeymaren began to laugh and after a brief moment, Elsa found herself laughing as well. The absurdity of the situation, everything, felt so utterly impossible it was hilarious. Their laughter was interrupted by a sudden banging. They turned around to see Ryder, red faced, make inaudible sounds from behind the dome. That was when Elsa realized. Now was their chance. Yelena was in danger and only she knew how to get to Ahtohallan. 

_ Water has memories.  _

“Honeymaren,” she said.

“Elsa.”

The two nodded. It was time to return to the forbidden island. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well well well…. I bet you weren’t expecting that!  
> I’ve decided I want this story to have more of a plot than originally intended as well as a slow burn (sorry shippers) so just sit tight. This is chapter 3/6 (probably) which means we’re already halfway through :’) With that being said I extended the story’s length so at this point anything can happen.  
> What do you guys think will happen next?
> 
> As always thank you so much for reading! Please comment/leave any feedback it really helps to keep me inspired and are fun to read in general!  
> The updates will probably slow down a bit because I have to study for midterms, unfortunately. With that being said, thanks for reading and I look forward to writing more in the future :)
> 
> ~ Solar02


	4. In this Nightfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa and Honeymaren set off on their journey to Ahtohallan but when night falls they have to take shelter for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a really long chapter but it had to be done. I couldn’t stop writing!  
> We finally get to see some Elsamaren in this chapter (long overdue) so enjoy :)  
> Also for reference in this story, Elsa is 24 and Honeymaren is 23. Elsa always gets to be older lol
> 
> With that being said, see you soon! 
> 
> Solar02

Elsa stared at the back of Honeymaren who was about three strides ahead of her. They hadn’t been walking for long. In fact, Elsa could still see the top of the icy dom she accidentally created from a distance. Honeymaren stopped suddenly making Elsa literally bump into her. 

“Sorry,” her friend said. She turned around with a sheepish look on her face. 

“You have no idea where we’re going, do you?” Elsa sighed. Her friend laughed. 

“You got me. Do you have any recollection of which direction we should go in?”

Elsa though momentarily. Truthfully, she had been so caught up in the moment when she first visited Ahntohallan that she only remembered landmarks. 

“Not really,” she admitted. “All I know is that we go north.” She looked around for anything that could be familiar when she felt a tug coming from the heel of her boot. Startled, she looked down to see that nothing was there. 

“What is it?” Honeymaren asked noticing her confusion.

“It’s nothing,” she replied carefully inspecting the patch of grass below her feet. “I swore I felt something but I suppose it was just my imagination.”

As soon as the last sentence left her mouth a sudden flame erupted from where she was standing making her jump into her friend’s arms. 

“Oh my god fire!” Honeymaren said excitedly. Elsa quickly pointed her finger at the fire, putting it out with a giant hiss. “Bruni,” Honeymaren scolded. “Don’t do that to us ever again!”

Elsa grinned as she waited for the smoke to clear. Sure enough Bruni, the fire spirit, was spinning around in circles happily. He was glad to see them. 

“Oh are we happy to see you,” the brunette exclaimed scooping him up. “The more the merrier am I right?”

“Indeed,” she stroked the little guy’s head affectionately. “You know where to go, don’t you?” 

Brni happily chirped in Honeymaren’s hand before sticking his tongue straight ahead.   
“You think it’s over there?” Honeymaren asked. Bruni did a spin in her hand before doing the same motion, pointing ahead. “Alright. It looks like we don’t have to worry about getting lost out here.”

Elsa nodded. 

“And you,” her friend continued. “You’re coming with us.” She tucked him in the pocket of her pants. “Alright let’s go.”

“Wait just a minute. I think we could get there ten times faster with the help of ...this!” Elsa closed her eyes and concentrated. In her head she imagined a horse accompanied with a carriage. Her powers bubbled beneath the surface of her fingers, begging to be released. She opened her eyes to see Honeymaren bouncing about her creation.

“Holy shit,” her friend breathed marvelling at the sight before her. The horse was a brilliant white horse made of ice who looked similar to the Nokk Elsa had met in the Dark Sea. The carriage also was a sheer white color that glistened under the presence of the light. Tiny details were embedded in the ice carriage, mimicking precious stones and metals. The carriage included a small visor that would protect them from any rain or too much sun. Elsa smiled to herself; she too was impressed with her creation. “This is so cool! Ah! I’m sorry I know we have to get going but wow ...I knew you were awesome but this makes me like you even more!” 

Elsa felt a warm sense of pride fill her chest. Honeymaren was always so positive and optimistic, always smiling and laughing. Elsa realized how much she relied on that smile to lift her up. Honeymaren had the prettiest of eyes, a brilliant hazel that seemed to sparkle whenever she was happy. Her smile too, was infectious. Just by being around Honeymaren made Elsa realize how grateful she was to have such an amazing friend. That without her, she would still be lost and too focused on the past. She lifted her up, made her live in the present. 

As her friend climbed up into the carriage and excitedly motioned Elsa to join, she felt her sense of worry and fear dissipate. 

_ She’s really got that effect on people doesn’t she  _ Elsa thought. Honeymaren’s words back then rang in her head. ‘ _ I am not afraid of fear….’  _

“So does this thing like drive itself or what?” Honeymaren asked suddenly shaking Elsa from her thoughts. She laughed. 

“I’m afraid my powers can’t do everything,” she teased. “Here.” 

Elsa grabbed the reins and placed them in her friend’s hands. 

“Since when did you know how to maneuver horses?” 

“Oh I don’t know...maybe when I crossed the Dark Sea and tamed the mythical water spirit?” 

Honeymaren chuckled. “Oh right. How could I forget. Say, will I get to meet this friend of yours?”

Elsa thought back to how the very carriage and horse they were sitting on was modeled after the Nokk. It was definitely in the back of her mind. “Of course,” she replied. “It can be a bit intimidating at first but I assure you once you get to know it, it’s as tame as can be. Now, let’s teach you how to drive.” 

She placed her hands on top of her friends, guiding them slowly to pull the carriage forward. It felt nice for once to be the one teaching Honeymaren something and not vice versa. They began going slowly, passing brilliant sights that made up the enchanted forest. Elsa noted that Honeymaren was a very quick learner. She only showed her the mere basics but her friend’s instincts must have taken over, as they were moving as if she’d been riding horses all of life. As the sun began to set Elsa noticed them approaching a waterfall. She hadn’t remembered this before. 

“Bruni?” she asked suddenly. The little creature popped out from Honeymaren’s pocket and gave her hand a lick in greeting. “Are you sure we’re going to the right place?”

Honeymaren halted the carriage as they approached the mouth of the waterfall. 

“Elsa! Look!” The brunette pointed past the waterfall. “It looks like there’s a cave behind the waterfall.” Honeymaren looked at the sky, which had transitioned from crystalline blue to a mix of deep oranges and yellows. “I think we should call it a day. Even if we did make it to the dark sea I’m not too keen on crossing it in the middle of the night.”

A part of Elsa wanted to argue and advocate to push forward but deep down she knew Honeymaren was right. Bruni nudged her hand and pointed his tongue to the left. Elsa looked up and felt her face light up with joy. She could see the Dark Sea off in the distance, looking close enough to reach the next day. 

“You’re right,” she said and pointed excitedly to where the Dark Sea was. Honeymaren’s eyes grew wide and she grinned. “We’ll reach it tomorrow,” she breathed. 

Honeymaren began to turn the carriage towards the waterfall. As they passed through Elsa found herself marveled its beauty and the way the water fell so smoothly without them ever getting wet. Honeymaren pulled them to a stop and quickly jumped out to assist Elsa, who took it gladly. 

“It’s kind of dark in here,” her friend murmured. “Sit tight I’m going to see if there’s any wood around here.”

Elsa nodded and shivered. She watched Honeymaren disappear briefly to come back with a handful of leaves and twigs. “Good thing we have the carriage,” she chuckled. “Looks like all of this debris will come in handy after all.” She lay down the surprisingly large amount of debris on the ground, spreading it out to make room for a fire. “Hey Bruni wanna come out and play?” 

A muffled sound erupted from Honeymaren’s pocket and out sprung the fire spirit. 

“There you go lil’ guy,” she said adoringly. “You’ve got a bed all to yourself!” 

Bruni cautiously walked towards the pile of debris, checking it out. After a few moments he lay silently asleep with his body covered in magnificent red and purple hues. 

“Well then, now that he’s all set,” Honeymaren turned to Elsa and her face fell. “I’m sorry...I guess Bruni will be the only one sleeping well tonight.”

Elsa looked at her quizzically. “If you’re worried about not having proper beds to sleep on I assure it’s not an issue.” To prove her point, she conjured up a bed complete with a pillow, blanket, and even Honeymaren’s favorite stuffed animal. 

“That would come in handy under normal circumstances,” Honeymaren laughed. “But seeing as we have Bruni warming things up here ...I don’t think it’s such a good idea.” 

She was right of course. Elsa’s magic was resistant to human fire but when it came to magical flames there was no telling how long it could hold up. The last thing she wanted was to wake up in a puddle.

“I suppose you’re right,” she sighed. She positioned her body so that it was facing the flames. Their shadows cast eerie shapes on the walls making everything seem to increase in size tenfold. 

“Aw come here,” Honeymaren wrapped her arms around her friend to keep warm. “You know what this reminds me of?”

“What?”  
“The first time we met,” Honeymaren turned to her, eyes twinkling. “Cold and by a fire. How time flies, you know?”

Elsa smiled at the memory. Honeymaren had been so eager to help Elsa back then just as she was today.  _ Some things never change  _ she thought. “Yeah. That was such a crazy time for everyone back then.”

Honeymaren laughed. “For real though. And to think up until then I had never seen the sky before … until you came along. Maybe that’s why blue is such a beautiful color to me. It will forever remind me of when you and your sister freed my people from the enchanted fog and let us witness the beauty that is the sky.” She turned and looked into Elsa’s ocean blue eyes and added slowly, “and well, of course … you.” 

Elsa didn’t know what to say. No one had ever thanked her with such sincerity and honesty before. She was used to being the one thanking others but for once it seemed as if she was the one being thanked. 

Honeymaren pulled back and stood up. “Sorry for the tangent I don’t know where I get all if this sometimes. You must be starving.” She walked over to the carriage and came back with a small bag clutched in her hands. “I always like to be prepared with food in case ...well, in case of emergencies like this happen. Here.” Her friend opened her bag and carefully unwrapped a small package containing some bread and cheese. “It isn’t much but I figure it can hold us off until morning.” 

Honeymaren broke the bread in two handing Elsa the bigger half. “Eat.”

Elsa though of protesting and giving back her friend’s food but knew arguing with Honeymaren was useless. She was much too headstrong for that. “Thank you,” she said and nibbled at the bread. It was nothing special but still tasted amazing. Back at the camp Honeymaren had been assigned a reindeer shepherdess much like her brother, but had a few other hidden hobbies. Cooking was one of them. Elsa knew she liked to keep her personal life undercover but one day when she woke up early she had seen her friend working with the chef, Asmund. She smiled at the memory of her friend having a swarm of children watching in awe as she kneaded bread and prepared the tribe’s breakfast. Honeymaren’s heart was surely the biggest she had ever come across before. It was admirable. 

After the two finished eating the world outside had completely succumbed to the darkness of the night. The only light that existed now was that of Bruni’s fire. 

Honeymaren stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “Well, I think we should probably call it a night,” she murmured. “You tired yet?”

“Not really,” Elsa admitted.  _ I’ve got far too much on my mind for sleep.  _

“Oh … well if you want I guess I can stay up a bit longer.”

“No it’s ok if you’re tired you should rest. I’ll fall asleep soon after don’t worry.”

Honeymaren cocked her head to the side. “Oooor you could tell me whatever it is troubling you.” She scooted closer to Elsa so that they were shoulder to shoulder. “I bet I can help ease your mind. Or at least be a good listener.”

Elsa pondered her friend’s gesture. Honeymaren of course was being one hundred percent serious, and she was grateful for the kind offer. The thing was Elsa had no idea what was bothering her. It was a combination of things really; Yelena falling ill, missing sister, and not feeling as if she belonged anywhere. How could she explain any of this to Honeymaren though? She hated the way she felt like this, how she overthought every single detail and scrutinized each part of her life. 

Elsa realized she hadn’t spoken for a long time and looked up to see Honeymaren’s profile. Her friend didn’t push. She was simply offering a kind gesture that no one had before and Elsa knew she couldn’t keep silent forever. But in this moment, she was not ready to open up quite yet. Instead she asked, “tell me more about you, Honeymaren.”

She felt her friend shift beside her and regretted her decision. Honeymaren was always open and caring towards others but never really about herself. Now that Elsa considered it, she realized that Honeymaren had always been closed off, even to her. In a way that was what made them similar. Both had secrets of their own, she supposed. When the brunette didn’t make a move after a while Elsa feared she had said the wrong thing. 

“What is there to know?” Honeymaren finally spoke in a slow tone. Elsa swallowed. She had only intended on making small conversation and never actually a weighted question. 

Not knowing what to say next she replied, “I don’t know. Anything really Honeymaren.”

“Well … first of all call me Mare.”

“What?”  
“What do you mean what?” Honeymaren’s tone sounded back to normal now. When Elsa met her friend’s gaze she saw that was normal too. She was shaken at how she was unable to read her friend like she could other people. “All of the people I’m close to call me Mare,” she admitted. She reached out and tucked a loose hair behind Elsa’s ear making her jump. Honeymare must have noticed because she let her hand fall and readjust across her knees. “You don’t think we’re close, do you?”

A lump formed in Elsa’s throat. Of course they were close. That was out of the question. What made Elsa hesitant was because she was unused to this idea of closeness, of familiarity, with any other than her circle back in Arendelle. Honeymaren was the first person she had met and became ‘close’ with outside of this circle and it just felt .... so foreign to her. She couldn’t explain how she felt. 

“Of course we’re close,” she said finally. Elsa put her arm around Honeymaren to prove her point. “If we weren’t then going on this journey together would be quite problematic.”

Honeymaren laughed. A sweet sound that Elsa would never tire of. Automatically her previous doubts desippitate just like that. Honeymaren had that sort of affect on her. 

“So am I like, you’re favorite person back at camp or what,” Honeymaren said mischievously. 

Elsa paused. “Probably,” she admitted although in her head she knew the real answer. Of course she was. Honeymaren was the first person from the get go that was there every step of the way to help her. Her friend gave her a playful poke on the side. “Ok,” she chuckled. “Yes. You, Mare, are my favorite person in the camp.”

This time the brunette was the one to remain silent. Through her peripheral vision Elsa could see her friend staring straight ahead into the space, as if calculating her next sentence. 

_ I wish I knew what was going on inside her head  _ Elsa thought silently. 

After a few moments Honeymaren turned back to her this time with a more serious expression. “What about Ryder?” she asked. “What do you think of him?”

_ Ryder? _

Elsa bit her bottom lip. Ryder was certainly fun to be around. While Elsa hadn’t gotten to know him nearly as well as Honeymaren, she could tell that he was similar to his sister. Ryder had always been welcoming and kind to her. When Elsa and her Arendelle friends first met the Northuldran tribe he was more than willing to be friendly towards Kristoff. Ryder had always seemed full of passion and earnestly which was something Elsa could admire, but from afar. Despite her time as one of the members of the Northuldran tribe, she had never felt that much of a connection with him. Perhaps it was because she spent all of her time with Honeymaren instead. “I, um,” she paused trying to figure out what to say next. “I really like him. He’s a wonderful person and brother. You’re really lucky to have him.”

She felt Honeymaren relaxing next to her, as if her friend had been tense waiting to hear her response. A small smile rested on the brunette’s lips but her eyes read something different that Elsa could not name. 

“That’s good to hear,” Honeymaren said softly. “You know he really likes you. That flirting back the other day was, sadly enough, an actual attempt to ask you out.” The brunette let out a small chuckle at the memory. “I know he can be a reindeer dork sometimes but give it time. He’s a really sweet guy.” 

Now it was Elsa’s turn to raise her eyebrow. “Mare are you … trying to set me up with your brother?”

Her friend’s silence and facial expressions said it all. After a long moment of silence she replied, “Maybe.” A pause. “You got me. Yeah.”

As soon as the last word left her mouth Elsa felt something in her shrivel back. She knew that was most likely what her friend would say but a part of her wished she hadn’t.

“Why though? I don’t recall us being ever that close.”

“Why not? He’s liked you ever since you first entered the camp back then,” a faint smile traced Honeymaren’s lips. “I remember him coming back and asking me when you guys left “who was that beautiful women with the striking blue eyes?” Needless to say, he’s head over heels for you.” 

A pit in Elsa’s stomach began to form. “I … had no idea.”

“Really?” Honeymaren sat up and rested her head on Elsa’s shoulder. “I thought everyone knew. His gestures have been painfully obvious in my opinion.”

“I’m afraid I’ve been unaware.”

“Really? Like even how he’s changed his hairstyle to impress you? Or how he spent all of winter carving out that sled for you to ride in? Or how he even-”

“I didn’t notice it at all!” Elsa interrupted. Guilt fell over her as she thought back to Ryder. All of this was true. Of course she remembered all of these kind gestures but at the time she had been so oblivious to everything. Except Honeymaren, of course. 

“Wow,” her friend breathed. “If I tell him that he’ll be crushed.”

“Please don’t,” Elsa pleaded. She didn’t want to be cruel. 

“I’m just kidding,” Honeymaren laughed. “Your secret is safe with me. But with that being said… Elsa, have you ever been in love?”

Elsa felt her heart skip a beat.  _ Have I ever been in love?  _ Soundlessly, she shook her head no. 

“Oh.” 

Elsa looked at Honeymaren and asked quietly, “Have you?” 

The brunette paused for a second with an unreadable expression on her face. “Yes,” she said simply. “Plenty of times actually.”

“With who, if I may ask?” Elsa wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer. ‘Plenty of times.’ What on earth was that supposed to mean?

“Hmm,” Honeymaren thought out loud. “I had this childhood friend that I definitely had a crush on… he was the same age as Ryder and I. His name was Fabian.” 

Elsa watched curiously as her friend talked about him. Her eyes grew sorrowful and clouded with mixed emotions. “He was just like Ryder. Kind. Brave. I’ll never forget what he used to tell me whenever I cried because I was scared. ‘I am not afraid of fear.’ That mindset was what made him so brave. He was always so sure of himself.” Elsa immediately recognized that phrase she had heard Honeymaren say earlier. Clearly Fabian meant a lot to her. “One day though when we were ten we went playing down by the gorge. At that time we were too young to understand the dangers of playing there. We had no clue that the earth spirits lived there.”

Elsa swallowed hard. She knew where this was going. 

“I...dared him to climb up on one of the rocks. Fabian was a daredevil. Of course he did it without ever once questioning my judgement,” Honeymaren inhaled a breath, tears welling up in her hazel eyes. “He died that day Elsa,” she whispered. Elsa was too shocked to move. “All because I told him too. I didn’t even have the courage to look back I just...ran.”

“Mare…”

“I didn’t even try to save him,” her friend weeped. “When he called my name I just left him like that and I …. my name was the last word that would ever leave his mouth and I-!”

“It’s ok,” Elsa wrapped her arms around Honeymaren who choked out a sob. “It’s ok. I’m sorry I pushed you so hard. You don’t have to continue reliving these memories.” 

She could feel every tremor that shook her friend, and Elsa realized how small she was. Fragile even. Here was this girl who so fearlessly volunteered to travel to a forbidden place. Who was always smiling and laughing and lifting people up. Broken. 

“I fell in love with a woman too once,” Honeymaren said shakily. Elsa’s heartbeat quickened for no reason at all. Silently she reached out and wiped a tear from the brunette’s face. “She was everything I ever dreamed of,” her friend continued. “Intelligent, benevolent, brave... But that day I made a promise to someone dear to me. I have no intention of breaking that promise.” 

“I see,” was all Elsa could muster. 

“So I guess you could say I’ve sworn off of love.” 

After that no one spoke. Elsa kept her arms wrapped tightly around her friend until eventually, she saw Honeymaren’s eyes flutter shut in deep slumber. Careful not to wake her, she quickly waved her hand and made a blanket that covered their bodies. Despite her previous concerns about Bruni’s flames melting her ice she huddled under it anyway. Barely a few minutes went by before Elsa finally felt her eyes grow heavy. Soundlessly she drifted off to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again thank you for reading to the bottom!  
> And so the plot thickens… I hope y’all don’t mine the insertion of ‘Fabian’ honestly it just felt necessary to the story I have in mind. Also just for the record in this story Honeymaren is pansexual (which is what I have always imagined her to be). I’m considering doing a chapter where I switch the POV and/or a flashback chapter that gets more into ‘the promise’ Honeymaren is referring to (although I’m sure you’ve already hypothesized what it is by now) so idk. I think a POV from Ryder would be extremely interesting though which is why I am considering the next chapter to be a ‘half chapter’ if you will.   
> Also, Honeymaren is WAY more romantic than Ryder ;) 
> 
> Anyways thank you guys as always for reading :) Any suggestions and/or feedback is always welcomed! I hope you’re enjoying the story thus far, I’ll be wrapping it up in the next couple of chapters (most likely) so get ready for the conclusion. I think it may take you by surprise. 
> 
> See you soon,
> 
> Solar02


	5. In this Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa and Honeymaren finally reach the dark sea and meet the water spirit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!
> 
> Sorry for the long wait I've been pretty busy but now that I'm on winter break I'll try to continue writing this story and updating it more frequently!
> 
> The next chapter will probably be in Ryder's point of view (as a half-chapter) so please look forward to that.  
> Anyways, see you at the end and happy reading!

Elsa awoke to find herself shivering. The blanket she had made last night was wrapped tightly around her but it didn’t stop the cool spring breeze from chilling her skin. She stood up slowly and imagined a warm shawl to cover her shoulders. She did not even have to wave her hands to make it appear. Her body instantly became warmer. 

“Bruni?” Elsa called out in confusion. The little fire spirit was not where he had been last night. She turned to the makeshift fireplace to find a black pile of littered debris instead. “Mare?”

Elsa looked around frantically. No Bruni. No Honeymaren. No horse. 

_ What is going on ...? _

“Mornin’ Elsa!” A sudden voice called out. She turned around to see Honeymaren on top of the horse with a makeshift net made of leaves. “I got us breakfast!”

Despite their rather dark conversation the night before Honeymaren seemed to have forgotten all about it and was back to her usual chipper self. 

“T-thank you,” Elsa stammered. “You didn’t have to do this you know.”

Honeymaren was already crouched over the ash pile and placing fresh wood in its place. “I know,” she said simply. “But I wanted to. And besides who said I did it for you?”

Elsa was speechless.

“Kidding,” her friend laughed dusting her hands off on her pants. “Bruni come here.”

The little creature slithered out before checking out the array of wood in the pile. Bruni padded around the area for a bit before settling down with a mighty hiss. 

“Ok,” the brunette said reaching for her net. “I wasn’t too sure we would be able to eat anything this morning but I woke up early and checked out the mouth of the waterfall. Surprisingly there’s a lot of fish down there so,” she presented her net proudly. “I thought I’d take just a few.”

“Thank you,” Elsa said gratefully. As if on cue her stomach made a loud noise. “I guess I’m more hungry than I thought.” She stood up to join her friend by the fire when she noticed Honeymaren’s shoes and the ends of her pants were covered with water. “Mare,” Elsa said sternly pointing to her feet. “We are not doing anything until you change out of those wet clothes.”

Honeymaren looked at her quizzically. “Elsa I’m fine, don't worry about-”

Elsa didn’t let her finish her sentence. She imagined a light jacket, t-shirt, cargo pants, and boots before waving her hand and letting her powers take care of the rest. When she was finished Honeymaren’s eyes were as round as saucers. Her friend stared at her body admiring her creations. 

“Wow this looks great!” she exclaimed. “I’ll have to ask you to do me more often.”

Elsa raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. She was probably overthinking the situation again; she couldn’t be serious. “All you have to do is ask,” she replied. 

After breakfast the two gathered their belongings

“I’m gonna ask you to do me more often,” her friend chuckled and Elsa felt her heart swell. “So yesterday you said we were getting close.”

“Yeah,” Elsa turned towards the waterfall and touched it gently. Her powers pulsed through her veins. “Stop.”

With an icy blast the roaring of the waterfall fell silent at her touch. Elsa looked up to find that the waterfall had been completely encased in ice so much that even the tiniest of water droplets appeared to be frozen in motion. Elsa threw her hand behind her and with a single motion, the ice shattered and sprayed shards all over the mouth of the cave. With the horizon now visible, she pointed directly ahead. 

“Ahtohallan. It’s right…. Over there.” Honeymaren followed her finger which looked beyond the lushness of the enchanted forest. 

“That’s the dark sea,” her friend breathed as she walked toward her. “I’ve… I’ve heard about it but only in legends. I must be the first ever Northuldran woman to ever see it.”

The brunette swallowed. 

“You won’t be the last either,” Elsa swore. “Now come on. We have a lot of ground to cover before sunset.”

With that the two set off, not bothering to turn back. Elsa felt herself fall in love with her new surroundings as they passed sights that she had never seen during her first trip to Ahtohallan. During that time it had been winter and the fog had trapped any signs of life or light within its grasp. With the eternal fog lifted at last Elsa could see the real forest for what it was. They passed rivers and flower beds, valleys and mountains. Each and every place felt completely breathtaking, new, and exciting. 

_ I want to savor this moment forever  _ Elsa thought with a smile on her lips. 

Before long the sun began to dip behind the tops of trees and the once crystal blue sky became flooded with deep oranges and pinks. Elsa glanced at their surroundings and began to recognize where they were. 

_ We’re close. _

The two neared a clearing, the very one where Elsa had first began her journey into the dark sea.

“We’re here,” she said quietly slipping herself off of the carriage. She motioned her friend to do the same and helped her down. “This is the dark sea.”

Looking at the widespread of water in front of them Elsa realized how far from the word ‘dark’ the sea actually was. The setting sun cast magnificent shadows on the water making the waves ripple with brilliant light colors. 

“Well what are you waiting for? Let’s go already,” Honeymaren started walking towards the water bravely but her voice wavered slightly. “Come on!”

Elsa cocked her head to the side. She could not recall a moment when her friend sounded so uncertain. “Mare could this be… your first time seeing the ocean?”

Her friend didn’t reply. She had hit a nerve.

“I-I’m sorry,” Elsa stuttered. “I didn’t mean that you-”

“No don’t apologize!” Honeymaren turned around and flashed a smile that at that moment, could have lit up the entire world. “I mean, you’re right of course. I haven’t seen the ocean before or….anything beyond the Northuldran camp for that matter.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh Elsa,” her friend suddenly reached for her hand and put it gently in hers. “Yes it’s my first time so I’m counting on you to make it a memorable one.”

Elsa nodded slowly and gave her a weak smile. “I won’t let you down.”

Elsa quickly took off her boots setting them gently aside and motioning for Honeymaren to do the same. She cautiously dipped her foot in the water expecting an icy jolt in return but to Elsa’s surprise it was warm. Elsa took a deep breath and pushed both of her hands into the water. Her eyes shut in concentration, she began to let her powers collide with the steady pulse of the water. 

_ Nokk  _ she thought.  _ Lend me your strength.  _

A large wave suddenly struck where she was standing and Honeymaren let out a small gasp as the water completely soaked the golden sand. 

The sudden gush of water took Elsa by surprise and she coughed as it hit her lungs. When she opened her eyes and regained her breath there in front of her stood the Nokk in all of its glory. 

The strong stallion was tainted a light orange from the sunset and it nodded in greeting. Elsa motioned for Honeymaren to touch it. She laughed as the Nokk reared up at the sight of the strange newcomer. 

“Relax,” Elsa said lovingly stroking it’s mane. “This is Honeymaren. She’s a friend.”

As if that was enough the water spirit immediately calmed enough for the brunette to gingerly reach out and stroke its mane. 

“Nice to meet you,” the brunette said gently stroking the spirit. “I hope you don’t mind taking me along for the ride.”

The Nokk let out a small neigh as if to say ‘don’t mention it.’

Elsa smiled before reaching for the reins on the Nokk’s mane. With a single swift motion she pulled herself onto the water spirit and extended her hand out to Honeymaren. 

“I don’t know Elsa,” her friend said sheepishly. “I’m not exactly sure how to swim.”

“Relax I’ve got you. You trust me right?”

Honeymaren just shook her head and smiled. “Yes. I trust you.”

With her friend safely on board Elsa motioned for the Nokk to proceed into the water. This time she was the one taking charge and felt Honeymaren’s arms lock tightly around her waist. The Nokk rode slowly across the water, avoiding any large waves that could potentially come their way. They had been riding for a bit now, and Elsa felt her friend’s vice like grip become relaxed for a bit. The way the sun’s fading light tainted the water a beautiful pink was simply magnificent. It was as if the world had succumbed to the warm shades of yellows and reds that spread far across the evening sky. 

“The world is so beautiful,” Honeymaren whispered from Elsa’s back. 

“I know. This is my first time ever seeing the sky like this here. I’ve never been around nature so much up until now… it has made me realize how my time in the palace was so…. Isolating.” Elsa took a deep breath in and spread her arms wide out in front of her. “But out here it’s like-”

“I’m free,” Honeymaren breathed. Elsa turned herself around so that she could see her friend’s face. The same expression that she could not quite pinpoint fell across the brunette’s face. “We’re truly free.”

The two fell silent as they continued towards Ahtohallan. The more time Elsa spent around Honeymaren the more she realized her friend was not the galiant warrior she had once believed her to be. It was all a facade, one that was so faint it was almost as if it didn’t exist in the first place but existed nonetheless. Elsa realized that Honeymaren was like her. They both experienced a time when the world seemed to be closed off forever, that they were being held back and that freedom was something that was impossible. 

_ But now I know that it’s not. Freedom, happiness, joy. It’s all possible. All of it.  _

“Hey,” Elsa asked suddenly. “Can I ask...what made you so set on coming to Ahtohallan instead of going to Arendelle to get Yelena’s medicine? I mean I obviously support the idea coming here but… what if Ryder was right? What if Yelena’s cure was only a short trip away? What if we’ve taken too long, what if-” 

“Elsa. It’s because you could spend an entire lifetime searching for something but,” Honeymaren paused. “That doesn’t mean whatever your searching for exists. Ryder could have been right but if you want to look at it that way, he could also be very wrong. Even if we had all gone to Arendelle who would’ve looked after the tribe? I love my brother. He’s the most important person in the world to me.”

_ And me?  _ Elsa bit her tongue to stop herself from asking. What on earth was she thinking?

“I see,” she replied instead compassionately. “I know how it is. It’s the same for Anna and I. Sometimes I wonder what I’d ever do without her or if something happened to her. Her life, her happiness. It always has been my top priority.” 

“I see,” Honeymaren whispered. “We’re a lot alike, you know that Elsa?” She turned around to see her friend giving her a small smile and couldn’t help but return the gesture. She positioned herself so that her two legs fell on the same side of the water spirit and rested her head on her friend’s shoulder.

“I was thinking the same thing.” 

She felt a hand carefully intertwined their fingers together. Elsa felt herself shudder slightly at the feeling; it wasn’t unpleasant just… new. 

“I’m glad,” Her friend said so quietly Elsa questioned if she had imagined Honemaren even speaking. Suddenly a second hand carefully stroked the side of her face. Elsa’s heart began to race as she realized her friend’s face was inches away from hers. 

_ W-what? _

Soundlessly Honeymaren brought her face so close that they were just inches apart. “I’m glad you see that we are the same,” she whispered. That was the last phrase she spoke before the two shared their first kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again!
> 
> So.... this is the big moment I suppose! I initially wasn't planning on having them kiss so early on but to be fair the setting was picture perfect ;)   
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll do my best to update as soon as possible.   
> As always please leave any comments/feedback as it really helps to stay motivated to continue writing!
> 
> With that being said see you soon in the next update!  
> Until then :)
> 
> \- Solar02


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